GENRE
	RPG
	DEVELOPER
	Square
	PUBLISHER
	Square-Enix
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1
	CONNECTIVITY
	No
	BUY NOW AT

Save for those whose television diet is made of nothing but the Disney Channel, there's not much on the horizon for GBA owners. It seems fitting then, that one of the last gems served the same purpose on SNES. Back then it was known as Final Fantasy III, but since, Square set things straight by reintroducing it as Final Fantasy VI on a PS collection. Sometime between then and now, someone must have realized that loading times for menus are intolerable, and so work was started on a GBA port. One new translation and dash of new content later, and Final Fantasy VI Advance is here for the taking.

visuals

Nothing is terribly different here than it was over a decade ago. The squat, sprite-based characters are simple, but still manage to hang on to the personality and charm of Yoshitaka Amano's original designs. The static enemies and settings remain nicely drawn, keeping in fashion with RPGs of the era. The numerous in-game cutscenes are the pinnacle of what can be done in 2D. The general rule of thumb is that a great-looking SNES game should translate to a great-looking GBA game, and FFVI doesn't break tradition in that regard.

audio

The original soundtrack of Final Fantasy VI is among the very finest in a franchise known for incredible compositions. From the haunting ghost train theme to the tribal beats on the Veldt to the unforgettable opera house sequence, the music here is nothing short of phenomenal. Even GBA's less-than-stellar sound system can't ruin what is arguably the best aural experience to be had on the handheld. The rest of the audio department arrives intact, as sword slashes, magic effects and Kefka's immortal cackle sound as they should.

gameplay

Final Fantasy VI represents a transitional point for console RPGs. While the genre was gravitating towards more powerful consoles, it was also moving towards more dynamic and cinematic storytelling. Sure, the plot boils down to the usual ragtag group of misfits banding together to fight an unfathomable evil, but the journey is marked with memorable events. Combined with excellent pacing, this makes for one of the most compelling GBA games on the market.

Ditching the job system of its prequels, FFVI puts even more emphasis on individual characters by giving them each unique skills. A martial artist has special moves that require Street Fighter-like button combinations from the player. His brother can use unique tools to damage or hinder enemies. There's even a moogle who fights by dancing – or does he dance by fighting? Fourteen unique characters make up the largest cast in the franchise, which ends up being handy when they have to split up into groups.

Aside from that, the core gameplay is pretty much straightforward RPG territory. Experience is earned, levels are gained, bosses are vanquished and rare items are yielded. Characters can equip espers to learn magic, similar to the materia in Final Fantasy VII. It's a solid, if rather ordinary foundation that is improved beyond recognition with all the other great aspects of the game.

Final Fantasy fans are among the most nitpicky around, and they're the only ones who will notice the small changes from SNES script to GBA translation. To them, the fact that "son of a submariner" is now "son of a sandworm" is probably blasphemy. Someone out there might even care that Celes doesn't get punched by a guard before being saved by Locke. But really, while fans will be sad to see that Kefka doesn't express his "hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate" in quite the same way, FFVI really benefits from the rewrite.

But beyond this, Square-Enix has included bonus content that seems to cater directly to that purist audience. New espers have been added, along with two sizable dungeons. Most likely meant to be played after the game is finished, these areas feature old enemies with some dastardly new tricks. Fans should be pleased with the hardcore nature of these additions, which should keep them busy for quite some time.

multiplayer

N/A

overall

Besides the sound quality issues, players have little reason to choose the original cart over this GBA port. Everything that made Final Fantasy VI great on the SNES is here, and then some. This is the perfect opportunity for those who started with FFVII to take a step backward and learn about the series' roots, and invest some serious time doing it. Those who already own one of the other versions may not be lured in, but the extra content and portability should make it pretty tempting. There will always be those who still think Fire3 is better than Firaga, but that's okay, they can keep their mildewed SNES carts. They'll just have to imagine what Cait Sith looks like a summon.

9.0/10